


Happy birthday, Sergeant Barnes

by Laevateinn



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (i guess), Because Bucky totally looks like Aragorn, Birthday Presents, Bucky forgets his own birthday, Bucky in Wakanda, Bucky recovering, Bucky's birthday, Canon Compliant, Gen, Humour, Post-Civil War (Marvel), Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Random reference to Lord of the Rings, Stucky if you have the googles on, Wakanda is so cool, bucky deserves nice things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:03:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29964726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laevateinn/pseuds/Laevateinn
Summary: Bucky is invited by T’Challa for lunch. It's probably to check on him.Aka, how Bucky forgot it was his birthday, featuring the royal siblings being... siblings.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Shuri & T'Challa, James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	Happy birthday, Sergeant Barnes

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a short one, around 600 words. Guess not !

“Sergeant Barnes”

“Ayo”, he saluted.

“Are you ready ?”

Bucky nodded with a small smile. T’Challa had asked him to eat with him at the palace, probably to check up on him personally. Shuri knew of his state because she came to see him regularly, even though the frequency of her visits had slowed down. After all, he was getting better, and she had a lot of things to do.

Somehow people in the village had heard word of this, and Sipho and Bulhe had decided he needed to have his hair styled. He had let them have fun, after all they hadn’t done anything weird with it – he had asked a few adults-, and usually their antics amused the two royals. If T’Challa -or Shuri, if she was there- commented, he would tell him it was their fault.

Ayo opened her arm in a ‘follow me’ gesture. Bucky looked at his clothes one last time. They were red, colour of the mining tribe, but he didn’t wear the tunic anymore. He had western pants, although a bit looser than he was used to, but the top half was the same sort of draped cloth the other villagers wore. Underneath he also had a smaller piece of cloth on what remained of his left arm, this one a dark blue.

Everything seemed in order, he had his small bag with him, he was good to go. In a couple of steps, he joined Ayo and the two of them – plus the other two dora milaje – began walking.  
He liked the woman. She didn’t believe in small talk, just like Okoye, but she was calming to be around. He also knew she could be very funny, and very scary.

On their way to the palace, she talked about Shuri’s latest projects, and he told her about his recovery. She renewed her offer to spar with him to keep him in shape, but he declined for the moment. Maybe one day, that could be interesting.

As they approached Birnin Zana, he finally asked how was Aneka. Her face lit up, and she launched herself in the retelling of the week’s anecdotes. Bucky felt a smirk make its way up his face. Just ask Ayo about her wife, and the lady will babble like a teenager.

The little group finally reached the palace and Bucky almost froze on the spot. In front of the entrance were two lines of Doras, and in the middle was queen Ramonda. Or maybe not the queen anymore, as T’Challa was king now… it was confusing. She still was a royal, and T’Challa and Shuri’s mother at that. She was regal and being in front of her made him feel very, very small. Suddenly he regretted letting the kids playing with his hair.

Bucky stopped a few steps away from her, noting from the corner of his eyes that Ayo took place just behind her, and that the two siblings arrived behind their mother.

“Your highness”, he saluted, bowing a little -that felt still a bit awkward. “To what do I owe the pleasure ?”

“Well, young man, is it not your birthday today ? What better occasion than this to get to know you a bit more ?”

His birthday. Shit. He hadn’t realised it was today. He had assumed T’Challa had wanted to have news, but this made more sense. A little. Also, he didn’t really look at the date that much these days.

“He forgot ! You were right !” And that would be Shuri. She was looked at Ayo, who had a small smile creeping up.  
T’Challa looked at his sister. “Maybe he didn’t see the date.”  
“Yes but you invited him here, brother, he could have made the connection.”

Bucky felt his cheeks redden with mild embarrassment. That was true, he should have put it together.

“Children !” At that, the siblings stopped bickering. It was honestly funny to see, especially T’Challa.  
“That’s better. Happy birthday, Mr Barnes.”

“Thank you.”

Ramonda took a step back, allowing her children to come closer. T’Challa clasped his hand, wishing him a happy birthday then Shuri did the same while hugging him.

“Did you let the kids play with your hair ?”, she asked, mirth in her eyes.  
“Yeah. Maybe I shouldn’t have.”  
“Nonsense. Did they start calling you Aragorn ?”  
They had actually. He had brushed it off, after all he wasn’t fluent in the language yet. “Yeah, once I think. Why ?”  
“You and I my friend, are going to watch some movies together.”

That didn’t answer his question. He frowned and looked at the king.

“Aragorn is a fantasy character, from Lord of the Rings. You look a bit like the one from the movies. And the kids braided your hair like the elves in the movies.”

Oh. That explained it then. He smiled at Shuri. “Then we should watch it. I’m curious now.”

Their little group walked toward the entrance, accompanied by Ayo and Okoye who wished him a happy birthday as well. As they travelled to the dining hall, he thought back to the last time he actually celebrated his birthday. He certainly had not done it when in hiding, and before that… well.  
He had some fuzzy memories of his birthday, in 44, but that had been a quiet thing. They had been somewhere in eastern Europe and had found a bar that was somehow open that day. The last time he had had a proper party had been in 43, though. With his entire family, and Steve.  
The thought made his joy dim a little, but he pushed the bad thoughts aside. Focus on the good, his therapist said.

Bucky came back to the present when the guards opened the doors. He caught a glimpse of a tastefully decorated table but was ushered to the side of the room before he could properly look at it. The royal family lead him to a small table where two small boxes and a were placed. Presents.

“You shouldn’t - ”  
T’Challa interrupted him. “We wanted to.”  
Bucky shut his mouth and smiled. Three on one, no chance to win an argument.

Shuri was the first to give him a gift. It was a set of Kimoyo beads, that were adapted for him. He thanked her and put them on in one swift movement. He lifted his wrist to look at them more closely. The chain was extensible to allow him to take them off easily as well, and the beads themselves were a dark blue.  
Next was the queen, who gifted him a brooch. It was a stylish wolf, black and white, that he clipped at the junction of his two pieces of cloth after thanking her.

Finally, T’Challa held him a folder. Intrigued, he looked at the king and tilted his head.

“This is not only my doing, and wasn’t exactly supposed to be in your hands so soon… but I have some good friends.”

What could it be ? Bucky flipped the folder open and immediately recognised the look of an official document. As he scanned the words, he felt his eyes widen. Was it…  
He lifted his head to look at T’Challa, hope bursting through his heart.  
“Yes, my friend. You have been officially recognised innocent, by the UN.”

Overjoyed, Bucky grabbed the man for a hug. Only to step back only seconds later.

“Oh. Sorry for that. I-”  
“Don’t worry. I too am more than happy to see the justice triumph.”

Wow. This day couldn’t get better.

“Actually... it can.” Oh, he must have said that aloud, seeing the smile on Shuri’s face. “Turn around.”

Bucky did so and froze.

Steve. His friend was standing behind him, barely at arm's length. The punk was smiling so much it must be hurting his cheeks. Although Bucky probably wasn’t better.

As one, they threw themselves in each other’s arms.

“Happy birthday Buck.”


End file.
